Living in an Alkaline Environment
Living in an Alkaline Environment is a three-part activity that explores the ecology and diversity of life in alkaline environments. It can be downloaded as a Word (Microsoft Word 124kB Apr29 05) document or accessed by using the left-hand navigation and provided links below.
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HideLiving in an Alkaline Environment features Mono Lake, CA as an example of an alkaline, hypersaline ecosystem.The first two components are hands-on activities, while the third component is a web-based inquiry:
- Part One analyzes the differences between Mono Lake water and distilled water.
- Part Two tests the effect of increasing alkalinity on the survival of common soil bacteria.
- Part Three examines the behaviors, adaptations, and diversity of organisms living in and around Mono Lake.
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Related Collections
The following Microbial Life Collections offer related background information and resources to supplement topics covered in this activity:
Microbial Life in Alkaline Environments examines the challenges of living in an alkaline environment. It includes a summary of survival mechanisms and enzymatic industrial applications, as well as a collection of resources featuring this amazing group of microbes.
Mono Lake: Mono Lake, located in California's Eastern Sierra, is both alkaline and hypersaline. In addition to its unusual array of alkaliphilic, halophilic, and anaerobic inhabitants, it has a remarkarble preservation success story.